The present invention generally relates to a light to be utilized in conjunction with a bicycle or other non-motorized vehicle. The light is mainly designed to be secured to the handlebars of a bicycle, thereby providing light for the cyclist.
Lights secured to bicycles have long been utilized to aid the cyclist in biking at times of the day when there is not enough light to safely ride a bicycle. Typically, the lights have been mounted on the bicycle""s handlebars, or the front stem of the bicycle, or even the rider. Typically these lights would be a single beam light, which is mounted to the bicycle. Examples of these types of lights are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,477,865, 5,436,810, and 4,697,725.
One of the shortcomings of these prior art lights is that oftentimes the field of vision is limited due to the small size of the beam of light. If the cyclist is riding at night, particularly at a higher speed, it is advantageous to have more light generated than a typical single lamp light.
Many of the prior art lights are also cumbersome to take on and off a bicycle. This is oftentimes necessary if the user has two or more bicycles, and does not want to purchase a separate light for each bicycle.
A need has developed over the past years for a light having more flexibility in its use and a broader beam of light than those shown in the prior art. The biking industry has undergone a tremendous change over the past years with mountain bikes becoming very prominent. Mountain bikes are oftentimes used on a different type of terrain than the traditional road bikes. Road bikes traditionally have been used on sidewalks or paved roads. Mountain bikes, although capable of being used on sidewalks and roads, are intended for use on off-road trails, which typically are not paved and oftentimes are fairly narrow and have many sharp turns and hidden obstacles. The light requirements for a road bike which may be traveling fairly fast on a flat surface are different than on a road bike which might not be traveling at the same rate of speed but that will be traveling on a trail where there are bumps, rocks and holes.
Oftentimes, a mountain bike will be used both on the road and off the road. Thus, a single bike will be used in different applications, thereby necessitating a different light requirement for use in the twilight and evening hours.
It is also desirable to have a bike light which can be initially purchased with a single light, and then if the user thereafter desires to add a light, a single lamp can be purchased and added to the previously-purchased lamp system.
Another problem which exists with single bicycle lamp structures is that if for some reason the bulb of a lamp goes out, the user typically must navigate in the dark. Thus, there is a need for a backup lamp to provide light in the event that the first lamp burns out.
There is a need for a single bicycle lamp which can be adapted for both on road and on trail applications.
There is a need for a bicycle lamp which may be easily removed from one bike and put on another bike.
There is a need for a bicycle lamp which may be easily mounted and removed from the bicycle.
These and other advantages are described in more detail below.
The present invention is directed to a bicycle lamp which is multi-functional. The orientation of the bicycle lamp may be rotated such that in applications wherein it is necessary to have broad horizontal light coverage, the lamp may accommodate such a requirement. In other applications, wherein a long, vertical beam of light is required, the lamp of the present invention may achieve this requirement. The bicycle lamp may be quickly mounted and quickly removed from the handlebars. The orientation of the bicycle lamp may also be converted in a simple and easy fashion. Finally, it is possible to utilize either one or two lamps as desired. If one lamp is used, the lamp is centered over the approximate midpoint of the handlebars, and can be upgraded to a two lamp application.
In more detail, the mountable light assembly of the present invention includes a base member, the base member pivotally connected to a clamping member, the clamping member comprising a means to removably secure the base member to a bar; a lamp holding member releasably secured to the base member, the lamp holding member comprising a lamp receiving space, the lamp receiving space being of sufficient space to receive at least one individual lamp. The lamp holding member is capable of altering its orientation with regard to the base member such that the orientation of the lamp holding member vis-à-vis the clamping member may be altered; the single lamp residing in a portion of the receiving space, the lamp comprising a lens and a means to illuminate; and a means to provide power to the lamp.